Being raised on a farm in Chautauqua County near Panama, I learned to enjoy nature and country life. Special to me were the seasons of the year, wild flowers and the woods. Oak, pine and maple are the woods most often found for sale in this area. Many of the Amish have their own sawmills.

You can use pine to start a fire since it can give quick heat, but then switch to oak for a slower, long lasting fire. I always did enjoy hickory. It was fun to hear the crackle and pop in the fireplace. Hardwood such as oak and hickory make a lot of heat with little smoke. Softwoods such as pine and cedar are better choices for kindling than for generating heat, since they produce less heat and are more apt to leave creosote in the chimney. Use seasoned or dry wood that was cut at least six months ago. It burns hotter and is easier to start. Check the ends of the logs for cracks that have signs of dryness. Dry logs will make a sharp crackling sound. Dad always said a true cord of stacked wood measures four feet high, four feet wide and eight feet long. I wonder if that holds true today?

At the present most woodstoves and fireplaces take shorter wood. Most wood is in two foot lengths. My father always kept wood cut ahead and then stacked in neat rows in a strong built woodshed, near the back of the house. It was stacked so the air could circulate through the logs. There are many in our area that sell wood. Sometimes with delivery included, classified ads show full cords available at different prices. One can buy preformed wax and sawdust logs from a supermarket. It is hard to understand the point of such a product, unless it is for city folks who have no access to wood. On a cold winter night, how nice it is to have a warm wood fire, a dish of popcorn, and a good book.